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As the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall approaches, a new exhibition is depicting the period of upheaval in East Germany from May 1989 to December 1990 with an intimate collection of photos and video.

Presented by the German Museum for Film and Television, Wir waren so frei, or "We were so free," comprises three different sections, each providing a different perspective on events surrounding the peaceful collapse of the communist regime.

The first part of the exhibition focuses on media submitted by individuals. Anyone who recorded their experiences in film, videos or pictures, was called upon to take part in the exhibition to give the fall of the Wall a new and personal angle.

The second section of the exhibition is themed around television reports. In one video installation, famous German TV journalist Ulrich Wickert reflects upon media coverage at the time. In another, four journalists remember both the reactions of politicians and media in their countries, and their own personal, emotional responses.

The third part of the exhibition collects clips from East and West German documentary films, created in this period of political change. The exhibition includes work from filmmakers such as Thomas Heise, Volker Koepp, Helke Misselwitz and Ulrike Ottiner. The material is complemented by personal stories that shaped the directors' films.

The collection of private films and photos will remain available in an internet archive after the exhibition in Berlin finishes.